Bike Gear Hall of Fame

Specialized Stumpjumper, 1981

4 / 15

The Specialized Stumpjumper wasn't the first mountain bike, but it was the first readily available, affordable model, and it ignited a 20-year boom. Until the Stumpy showed up, trail riders were exploring the woods on custom bikes hand built by Tom Ritchey and Joe Breeze, which often cost thousands of dollars. Specialized founder Mike Sinyard saw a wider opportunity. He scoured the globe for esoteric yet affordable parts that would comprise the first Stumpjumper: touring cranks and tandem brakes from French firms TA and Mafac, motorcycle-brake levers from the Italians at Tomaselli, Swiss spokes, and wonderfully light and durable alloy rims from Araya in Japan. "It wasn't an overnight success," recalls Sinyard. "Many retail stores weren't initially receptive, but it didn't matter--we were bringing new people into the sport and creating a new lifestyle, and that was really exciting."